Sophia.

"Sophia, be my girlfriend,"

Adam looked at me in the eyes when he proposed, He had a bouquet of red roses in his hand.

I was shocked and rooted to the spot while I stared back at him.

His eyes, His face, His body built and everything was identical to Alex.

The love of my life, My Alex who died nearly four years ago.

"Sophia, we have been friends for a long time and we are dating for the last six months, Will you accept me as your boyfriend?" He asked me again.

My world trembled and I am shaken.

I know I am the cruellest person on the earth, I know I am selfish for doing this to Adam.

I looked at Alex's identical twin brother.

They look so much alike, Making it difficult for me.

What have I done!?

Guilt filled me and I took a step back.

This is not Alex, This is Adam.

No matter how much I long for Alex to come back, It's not going to happen, I shouldn't do this to Adam.

Alex cannot be Adam and He cannot come back.

Tears sprang to my eyes and Pain filled me.

"Sophia"

Adam looked worried as he watched me.

"Ad...Adam" I said slowly. "Let's not..meet again," I said And hurt filled his eyes.

"I am not a good person like you think, I..I am selfish and cruel, Let's not meet again" I whispered and Ran back while Adam stayed there, Looking heartbroken.

When I reached my little rented apartment, I walked inside, Switched off all the lights and huddled in a corner.

Alex...

He's gone...He will never come back.

My heart twisted and my eyes got teary.

Alex was my everything, He was my sun, My reason to live.

He was visiting his home and his car was hit by a truck.

He died from the hospital and what made me more broken was the fact that I never knew about it until it was too late.

I couldn't even see him for the last time and so, It was difficult to accept his death.

Along with Alex, My will to live also died.

I started to live in the past, Remembering all those memories we shared every day.

"I am going to miss you" He had said while kissing me. "Call me every day and talk to me," He said while I rolled my eyes.

"Sophia, Don't forget that you are my-"

I touched my palm against his lips and stopped him from completing his sentence.

"Shh...We decided to keep it as a secret!" I scolded him.

"Visit your auntie and convince her somehow, I will do the same too, I am going to tell everyone at my house too" He smiled.

"You don't know my aunt, She will just kill me," I said.

"Then I have no choice but kidnap you" Alex laughed and kissed me on my nose.

"Alex!" I exclaimed, Feeling embarrassed at his PDA while he smiled.

"Wait for me, I will definitely come with good news," He said and I smiled.

I had no idea that it would be his last words to me.

I went home to convince my aunt and the first thing she did upon hearing the news was to take my phone away from me.

After my mom's death, She was the person who raised me, She was pretty strict and often worried about me.

So I let her do that, The whole week, I was trying to convince her and she was fed up with me.

"Bring this guy home and We will decide," She said just before I took my train back to work.

I hugged her tightly then. It was the happiest day of my life.

All the way back, I was trying to get Alex, But he never picked up.

When I finally heard about the accident, I couldn't believe it, No...I refused to believe it.

I was like a kite without strings for the next two years, I was flying around detached, My spirit died along with Alex and I embraced loneliness.

Auntie tried everything to cure me, But my reason to live was not in the world anymore.

I was starting to forget Alex's face and I was going crazy when suddenly, One day, I saw him again like a flash.

By the time I ran to him, He was already gone.

I had thought it to be an illusion, But soon, I came to know about Alex's twin brother who's taking over his position in the company.

Longing to quench my thirst to see Alex's face, I started to stalk him.

I was obsessed and was not in my right mind.

I even applied for the job to be an intern there and got lucky.

Adam was a warm person and We became friends.

I never mentioned my identity to him and just wished to stay beside him.

So when he asked me if I could be his date for one of the functions, I was taken aback But agreed nevertheless.

For the first time in two years, I started to live like a normal person and slowly started to recover.

All I wanted was to stay beside him, To see Alex through him.

But I realize it was selfish of me.

If Adam comes to know that I have been trying to see Alex through him, He will surely hate me for using him.

Adam.

I am a sinner,

Because I am in love with my Late Brother's girl.

I am in love with the only person I am forbidden to love.

I swear, I tried my maximum to stay away, but in the end, I just decided to follow my heart.

I was supposed to protect her and bring her the last message from Alex, but instead, here I am, staying beside her, feigning ignorance and being deceitful.

She doesn't know that I know about her, She thinks that I have no idea about her relationship with my brother.

She also doesn't know that I was the last person who was with Alex when he died.

I was there in the car, I was the one who was driving that night and I am also the person who's partially responsible for his death.

I looked across the road to the small apartment on the side.

I had followed her quietly in the car all the way here, I just wanted to make sure that she's home safe.

It was eight o'clock in the evening and every building and houses were lit, Except for her place.

I leaned forward, rested my head against the steering and watched her house, Helpless.

She's going to retreat back to the shell again, I can see that.

I closed my eyes, Alex's last words playing through my mind.

"Sophia...She...She's wait..ing... I...I want..you to..visit..her, Promise me-"

Even though I was surprised that my serious brother has a girlfriend, It was least of my worries, I was in the wheelchair and covered in blood while he was on his death bed.

Both of us knew that he doesn't have much time.

"I..I..will," I said as quickly as I could, Fearful that he will be in more pain if he talks.

"Pro..tect her, She..she don't know..about..our family, We..we..registered..our..marriage..recently," He said and I was shocked at that, Now realising what he meant by telling me to protect her.

"I..convinced her.." He whispered, "I wanted..to..avoid..the arranged marriage and..I..knew sophia..was the one," He said. "I..was selfish..It's...It's not..even..a month" He breaks down with that and I didn't know what to tell him to console him.

"Adam..you..are the..only..one..who..can help her..Protect..her for me, Tell..her that..I..want her to move on" His eyes started to fill and flow down again.

"Tell..her..to..not..wait for me," He said.

"Promise me... Ada..m, If everyone..know..that..I have a wife, They..they will-"

"I..promise you, Alex, She will be safe, I will protect her," I said steadily, Trying to assure him that I will take care of her.

Alex fell silent for a moment and I took his hand in mine.

"Do you want to..talk to her? Should I..call her?" I asked him.

"I can't..let her hear
from..me in this..state...I will..just leave the good memories for her" He said and turned to me.

"I..can only..be selfish now, Adam, I trust..you to protect her," He said again and I nodded.

"Adam.." He said slowly. "This is..not your..fault," He said slowly. "You are the..one..who's left now," He said.

"Protect...Dad and yourself, Don't...Don't trust anyone..in the company" He said.

I clenched my teeth together to not let my voice out and nodded.

I understand what he meant.

He also thinks that the accident was not exactly an "Accident".

The nurse knocked on the door.

"You need to get treated or you will become paralysed," She said while taking my wheelchair.

"No!" I shouted, Clutching Alex's immobile hand. I wanted to stay with him.

"Get..treated..and ..survive" Alex said. "Protect..dad and Sophia," He said. "This is my..last..wish"

That was his last words to me and it's been three years and seven months after that.

I had to go through multiple surgeries, I had to go through rehabilitation and spent a good one and a half years going in and out of the hospital.

Then I had to deal with all the problems in the company, As our dear "Mother" had already filtered our staffs and taken control of it.

So after dealing with all that, When I was finally sure that my stepmother is off my track, I let myself be moved from the main branch to the subsidiary, To Alex's workplace to be exact.

I found her then- Sophia.

She was broken and living like a dead person, Alone, Detached and totally emotionless with no contact with people.

I heard that Sophia moved to town three years back and that she spent all of her time wandering around except for the time she's working at the local library.

Then I realized that she's not "just" wandering around, She's living in the past, Visiting the places where Alex and she spent their time.

I followed her half a month and she never realized that someone is following her.

When I accidentally got caught once, I had seen her eyes coming alive and I moved out of her way while she followed me, Crying and calling Alex.

That's when I realized that She's still waiting for him to come back!

Then all of a sudden, I got her application to enter the company as an intern and I was taken aback But knew that she has come to know about me.

I accepted her and was relieved that she was coping fine.

As each day passed, I started to fall in love with her.

I tried to ignore it and deny it, But there came a point where I could no longer lie to myself and asked her out on a date and I was shocked as she accepted me.

She started to recover slowly while I started to fall deeper for her.

She was a good companion and a good friend, But she avoided and ignored any kind of hints from me.

For the first year, I thought it was okay, I just wanted to stay beside her.

But It's time for me to go back to the main company and I had no choice but take the next step.

I had anticipated her rejecting me, I was sure that she will reject me, But at the same time, I knew that I need to take that first step to move forward.

Alex, I am ready to face the heavens when the punishment comes, But I cannot stay away from Sophia anymore...

But I promise you that She will be safe, I will protect her with my life as you said.
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(Word count: 2049)

Hi,

I know I am in the middle of writing TGOS, But I saw this contest and just wanted to take a break from the "Actions"

So do tell me what you think and Don't forget to vote and comment😊